Defenders of the Scroll: History, Legend and Lore

by Shiraz .

A teenage boy.
A dark wizard.
A mystic scroll.
And the fate of a world hangs in the balance... When Alex "the Axeman" Logan is pulled from his world to help a young princess, named Dara, save her kingdom from the Shadow Lord, he thinks there has been a mistake. He's a teen guitar player close to failing 11th grade, not some defender of the realm. All he has are some school books, his wits, and his love of fantasy movies.

Overnight his life is history. Alex must confront the Shadow Lord and his minions when he is thrust into a land that has changed from a magical paradise to a barren, hopeless, helpless realm invaded by a dark army. But Alex is not alone. He has the help of Dara, a magic scroll, and a band of unlikely companions drawn from his own history books: a hardened Roman Legionnaire, a swift Japanese Samurai, a fearless African Warrior, a fiery Amazon Archer, and a spirited Shaolin Monk.

Can Alex become more than he believes and lead his small band of Defenders to the Hall of Shadows, the birthplace of the Shadow Lord? The fate of the realm and everyone in it rests on him.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

264 pages, Hardcover

First published June 29, 2009

Reviews

[Cari]

Thoroughly enjoyable! Very clearly written for children (which occasionally frustrated me and made me wish for a slightly more sophisticated writing style, but hey, I'm an adult so that's more my fault than the author's). I loved the variety of characters, the intricacy of the plot, the weird rules of magic, and am absolutely looking forward to book #2. Now encouraging my kids to read it.

[Nikki in Niagara]

Reason for Reading: The combination of members who joined the quest in this fantasy is what initially intrigued me enough to want to read the book.

Summary: Alex is your typical high school teen with one major obsession, playing rpg/mporg video games and a secondary fixation as the leader and lead guitarist of a band called the Axemen. Alex's biggest dilemna in life is whether to skip a history exam to go to a real studio audition with the band. Meanwhile, in another realm of existence , Mythos, the dark forces have started to take over. Kidnapping and torturing the king to get the source of all his power, the magical scroll which is in possession of his 11 year old daughter, Dara. The King's army, aptly named the Axemen have become lost in an ensorcered wood with no way out. When Dara summons the leader of the Axemen, Alex appears before her and he is stuck in her world until he has completed his mission, protect her until her father is free. As they search for the Hall of Shadows where her father is imprisoned and try to stay clear of the Shadow Warriors as they track Dara in search of the scroll they call upon teen warriors to join them in their quest: Scorpius, a Roman legionnaire, Genjuro, a Japanese samurai, Bantu, an African warrior, Maya, an Amazon archer and Tenzin a Shaolin monk.

Comments: First off this book is unique in that the pages have been designed with a scroll background which makes for a very attractive presentation. However, this left the reading page a very light grey with black text which I think did interfere with my normal reading speed as it did take me longer than it should have to read this book and I know it was not from lack of enjoyment. While the story follows the basic 'group of companions on a quest' format, a lot of originality has been brought into play making this a very enjoyable treat. They must follow many mini quests on the way to their larger goal and they face many dangers from the elements, monstrous creatures and their pursuers. At the beginning of the book, I did find it a bit confusing as it jumped back and forth between Alex in the modern world and Mythos as the trouble started. I had this lost feeling as to who were these people and what was going on but rather than distracting from the story it made me determined in the beginning to keep reading until the two sets of characters merged, as I knew they would. I started reading the book in bed and my dh asked me to turn the light off so he could sleep and I told him plainly, "No, not until this Alex guy somehow gets to Mythos so I can figure out what's going on!"

I loved the group dynamics of the various races and cultures of the group members. Each person comes from such a strong ethnic group/profession that they all must also learn to get along with each other. As they struggle to flee from the enemy they also struggle to reject some of their own bias along with accepting other's different ways. Each of the characters has a very strong character and their background life is developed enough that I formed great feelings for each of them even though I liked them in varying degrees. Bantu, the African teen who was a very strong warrior in this group but who had just gone out on his mission to prove his manhood in own real time, was my favourite of the bunch. Young Dara was characterized very well. While she needed protecting, she was still portrayed as a strong character with smart ideas who added to the group's overall success, yet accepted when her role as child meant she had to obey the others or stay away from the danger.

The creatures (good and bad), the adventure, the fighting, the excitement, and the general theme were all very entertaining and I really enjoyed the story very much. My only complaint here is the the ending. If you read my reviews regularly you'll see it coming. The book ends by letting us know it is the end of book one and has no proper ending. In fact, it ends mid-story, mid-action, a cliff-hanger if you will and I am not fond of such endings. I much prefer books in a series to contain individual mini-plots that have a resolution within the book while still remaining a part of the overall story arc. But at least this leaves you wanting more!

[t d]

In Short: What an awesome book!!! It’s got action, lovable characters and a superb plot.

As we enter the fantasy world created by Defenders of the Scroll, we are introduced to 2 main people. Alex, a teenager who is bored with his life, who plays video games having ogres and wizards and feels that his calling in life is different than just going through another torturous year at school. He also leads a rock band called ‘Axemen’.

In another parallel universe, we meet 9 year old Dara, the daughter of a powerful wizard and King of Mythos-Mornark. Mornark is not only powerful but also just and kind. He creates a place called Shadow Hall where all the evil in the Kingdom is banished. This hall lies in the heart of the Shadow forest. But one day, all hell breaks loose, The Hall takes on a life of its own, Mornark is captured and Dara is left alone to find safety and a way to release her father from the prison.

You ask how these 2 worlds meet? There is some goof up with Dara’s magic and instead of summoning the head of their army, Dara summons Alex. What ensues next is a ride through hell- with dark forces, magical creatures and even pirates. We also get to meet many other characters summoned by Dara to help Alex and her with the journey.

Honestly, I don’t remember when I had so much fun reading an action packed fantasy novel before. Every chapter is an adventure and every page has a danger waiting to pounce. It’s like a rollercoaster ride. And all these characters were soooo good, I mean loved them all, even the villain. I loved Dara, Mornark, Alex, Bantu, Tenzin, Scorpius, Maya…and so many more. Is it possible to love so many characters from a book?

One more thing I loved is Alex’s sense of humor and how his usage of slang confused other warriors. Defenders of the Scroll is a fun book, one that will pull you in and make you forget your surroundings. I love how in the beginning I could totally switch my mood from Dara’s world to Alex’s world within minutes without getting confused.

But then again, the 1 star less in the rating couldn’t be for nothing right? One very minor problem I found towards the end was how the warriors used language that was a little…let me say modern, language that I wouldn’t expect from an Amazon Archer or a Roman warrior. But that did not disturb me much, as I said it was a minor complaint. Also a little editing would have helped, as in to shorten the book a little.

The major complaint was the ending of the book. It doesn’t have one. I am okay with leaving enough scope for a sequel but this story kind of ends abruptly. It wouldn’t have bothered me much if this wasn’t an action-packed fantasy novel, but it is, and it has a lot of characters and lots of explanations of why things are the way they are. I’m just afraid that until I get my hands on the second book I might forget all. But I know that’s not the problem everyone has.

Finally, I would say that Defenders of the scroll is a book that men and women, adults and children will enjoy. This book begs to be made into a movie, I would be the first in line to see it. Can you tell I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book? When is it coming out Mr. Shiraz?

Oh wait…I forgot to tell you that I LOVED the beautiful artwork inside. It really is gorgeous.

http://violetcrush.wordpress.com/2009...

[IceJewel]

When the powerful wizard and King of Mythos-Mornak gets imprisoned by the evil forces, his little 9 year old daughter 'Dara' is left alone to save herself and find a way to get his father out from the prison. All she is left with is a magical scroll given to her by her father.By her own power she accidentally summons a 15 year old boy Alex: a guitar -playing high school student to help and protect her.What comes next is Alex's journey to save Dara with the help of a magical scroll, his own history books and summoning a few others from another world and time : a hardened Roman Legionnaire, a swift Japanese Samurai, a mighty African Warrior, a fiery Amazon Archer, and a spirited Shaolin Monk.

Ahhh, what a unique and an awesome non-stop action packed fantasy book filled with adventures ! I loved it ! When I had picked up this book and checked its size, I really had no idea that I would finish it so early! But, the action started from the first page itself zapping me in the world of 'history, legend and lore' .There is danger lurking at every corner and every step! Even in difficult and dangerous times, there was hope, humor and a positive attitude shown by every character which I appreciated.This book didn't give me time to even think and mourn about the past events and I just couldn't stop reading it! Also, I have never read a book which is filled with so many characters in it.Major thing, all the characters are lovable,unique and are given equal importance! The description of the characters matches exactly to the way its printed on the book cover.I remember myself always turning to the book cover whenever any new character came and was described :)

OK, the hard work.I hate writing negatives about the book but, it has to be told !I loved this book, but, its not a standalone.It has abrupt ending and left me hanging somewhere in the middle! If I had the next book in the series, I would have jumped on it and started reading! I hope the next one releases soon and I get the chance to read it :)

Oh, did I tell you that this book has a few pictures in it and the pages of this book are in the form of a scroll(I meant a scroll picture printed on the page and then the words printed on it)?! I just hope that someday this book will be turned into a movie ! I'm sure it will be awesome!

[Jennifer]

I really, really, really, wanted to like this book, but I just cannot. It's not the

*story: which I think is very good, or the
*characters: which are comprised of different races and backgrounds, or the
*morals: which are sprinkled throughout the story, for example, everyone should just get along, racial harmony, believe in yourself, etc.

It's the writing. I think it's written for young people, like ages 10 and up. This represented the real problem for me, because I could not get past that. After reading about half of the book, I skimmed the rest to get the basic idea and ending. I'm sorry but I just could not get past the writing. I felt as though it was written for young teenage boys, and that is completely cool with me. I am not meant to read and enjoy every book. I am not the target audience for this book, so I get that. Unfortunately, there are some things I can't ignore or push past.

As I stated previously, the basic story is quite good, and I like how the Defenders represent different cultures and times, to teach acceptance and harmony. That's awesome and I wish more books would do that. Alex also has a lot of self doubt but he realizes he needs to pick himself up and soldier on. You can't run from your problems, but give your best effort and at least you will know you tried. Another good lesson for kids to learn.

Oh, and I almost forgot, the art in the book, including the cover, are excellent. The pages of the book are made to look like pages from a scroll. There are also full page pictures/drawings/sketches that are amazing. It put me in mind of a graphic novel.

I do think it's me and not the book. Look at all of these awards and things it has garnered:

Winner in the Fantasy category of the 2009 National Indie Excellence Awards
Finalist in the Action-Adventure and Young Adult Fiction categories of the 2009 National Indie Excellence Awards
Finalist in the Multicultural Fiction and Best Overall Design Fiction categories of the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Honorable Mention in the Sci-Fi category of the 2009 New York Book Festival
Honorable Mention in the Sci-Fi and Teenage categories of the 2009 Beach Book Festival
Honorable Mention in the Wild Card category of the 2009 San Francisco Book Festival

[Cheryl]

Far, far away is a magical place called Mythos. There lives a king by the name of Mornak. He is also the most powerful wizard. Many years ago, Mythos started getting run over by robbers, murders and thieves. Mornak had an obligation to his people to keep them safe. So he had a huge building built. It is called the Hall of Shadows. It resides in Darkwood or Shadow Wood. The Hall is a prison to keep all the evil. Things have been peaceful since the construction of the Hall.

Flash forward to the present. Something strange is happening in Shadow Wood. Mornak sensing that something horrible is about to happen, instructs his daughter, Dara to safe guard a scroll. Her father tells her that if he does not return that Dara is to open the scroll and read the writing on it. Something does happen and Dara calls upon the scroll. What happens next has Dara running for her life from the evil, Shadow Lord. Luckily, Dara won’t be alone. She is joined by a various group of interesting characters like Alex, Scorpius, Bantu, and Maya.

Defenders of the Scroll: History, Legend and Lore is a thrilling joyride of action, excitement, and adventure. Defenders of the Scroll: History, Legend and Lore is book one. I enjoyed every moment of this book. I found I lost myself in it. It was so good. I am definitely rooting for Dara, Alex and the rest of the Defenders. The characters are interesting and fully dimensional. Shiraz really set up this book and the history behind the storyline at the beginning really well. There are some pictures inserted throughout this book. The pictures helped tell the story. I hope they kick the Shadow Lord’s butt. I don’t usually get that excited over these types of books but I just can’t stop raving about it. I can’t wait to read book two.

[Alexia561]

Wasn't really sure what to expect from this book, but have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Princess Dara is just a little girl whose father just started training her in magic, so it's understandable that she accidentally summons the wrong "Axeman" as her protector. And Alex is just a teenager who soon finds out that this wild adventure is all too real. But I love how all those hours spent watching movies and playing video games pay off when Alex is able to predict what should happen next, and is usually right!

The teenage warriors they summon from one of his books are also amazing! While they are all heroes and mighty warriors, they are also still teenagers and I liked how Shiraz made them vulnerable at times. Enjoyed how they all picked up some of Alex's slang, as it's not every day a magical princess says "crap." *L*

I enjoyed Alex's struggle to survive his adventure and prove himself in a world surrounded by heroes. Liked how the warriors all learned to work together and started to become friends. Even liked the evil villains, as sometimes the bad guys can be disappointing, but not in this case! Thought the ending was a little abrupt, but looking forward to the second book so I can find out what happens next!

Gave this a 4/5 rating, as the story was enjoyable, the writing was very readable, it had likable characters, and I particularly liked that the pages looked like a scroll, which I thought was a nice touch.

[Sheree]

Defenders of the Scroll is an exciting and imaginative ride of action and adventure, set in the fantasy realm of Mythos. The quest of good vs evil is not a new one but the Hall of Shadows (prison for all things evil in Mythos) is definitely a unique and disturbing concept. The book itself is really quite beautiful, each page is designed as a scroll and the illustrations throughout are stunning, adding to the overall package appeal.

When evil is unleashed in Mythos and King Mornak is captured, his 9 year old daughter Dara is left to face dark forces with a scroll and her still developing magic. But when 15 year old Alex is pulled from his regular teen life into the parallel universe of Mythos the pair, together with characters pulled from Alex's history books must fight for their lives in a battle against the evil Shadowlord and his team of shadow warriors. I really liked Tenzin, Bantu, Maya, Genjuro and Scorpius and thought they were a wonderful addition to the cast of characters.

Whilst I enjoyed the story I have to be honest and say I found the writing a little stilted and unpolished, it didn't always flow smoothly. I had to keep reminding myself that Defenders of the Scroll is probably intended for children and early teens. My guess is; the non-stop, a-new-danger-on-every-page plot would appeal to 9 to 14 year olds. I found the abrupt ending ... "so ends book one" a bit of an anti-climax but I'm looking forward to book 2 and the continuing adventure.

[La Femme Readers]

When I first received Defenders of the Scroll for review I was a little iffy about it because the cover reminded me of a video game. But boy was I wrong! I was taken through an adventurous ride from page one all the way to the end. I loved the plot of the story, it was very refreshing and magical. I couldn't help but get lost in this world Shiraz and his team created. I really enjoyed the characters and found them to be very likable. Especially Alex and Dara, they were my favorite, they made the book entertaining. I definitely think this book is very versatile and could attract many audiences, however this book would be great for readers between the ages of ten and sixteen. I believe it would actually make an interesting read for students in school. I loved how every page was written on a scroll which is definitely creative, I never seen that before. Also, some chapters had illustrations which provided me with an image of how the struggle between good and evil looked like. Their is also going to be a second book so I'll be looking forward to continuing the journey. Honestly the ending made me laugh, just one word...it ended with "Crap", how awesome is that!? Haha. Anyways, overall, I unexpectedly enjoyed Shiraz's writing and it made me more open minded to fantasy type novels.

[Ryan]

I was surprised by how quickly I read this book, once I started it I didn't want to stop reading. I was intrigued from the start and now I'm stuck in limbo waiting for the next installment so I know what happens to Dara, Alex, and the others.


I found this to be a wonderful story of Good vs. Evil. When the King of the realm faces a threat only he has a chance in stopping, only to fall victim and end up as a hostage, it is up to his young daughter to make things right once again.


Using a scroll her father enchants with his own magic she is able to summon help, though it's comes in a form that is not quite expected. Alex, a modern day high school kid, has nothing else on his mind that juggling a budding music career and the desire to pass his last exam. When he is suddenly sucked into another realm, he has no idea what's in store for him.


With the help of five other teenagers who are summoned from one of his books, he makes a valiant attempt to protect Dara and stop the evil spreading throughout the realm of Mythos. While nothing quite goes as planned they manage to overcome every obstacle in front of them. Even when tragedy strikes all is not lost and the battle will continue.

[Ziaria]

I wasn't sure what I would think of this book at the beginning. It's a little out of my normal reading genre, but I have to say I really enjoyed this.

Your typical good vs. evil theme with all kinds of great characters along the way. The little girl who holds great power. A teenage boy sucked into the world to protect her, even though he's the furthest thing from a warrior. The nifty ability to pull things and people from the history books that came with him.

The book is full of rich characters, fantastic adventures and danger all the way through it. It even has pirates! So much fun!

I think this is a book kids would love to delve into and experience. As a matter of fact when the book arrived my oldest son grabbed it and told me he got to read it first, and when he gave it back to me a few days ago he told me he really liked it.

I didn't realize it was the beginning of a series until I got to the end, so I look forward to reading book 2 when it comes out. I'm anxious to see what adventures will come next for Dara and Alex.(I received this book for review purposes).

[Kate]

Defenders of the Scroll is an entertaining, non-stop action packed read. From page one, the reader is immersed in a incredible fantasy world. The world that Shiraz has created is fascinating, yet has believable aspects woven in. The plot held my attention, and kept me on the edge of my seat. One of the best things about this novel has be its characters. They are realistic, funny, and just so three dimensional. I loved getting to know them and watch their adventures unfold.

The only flaw to the novel is probably the ending. It was just a little too abrupt for me. I am hoping there is a sequel, so that I can find out more about this fascinating world and its characters. All in all, this book has a little bit in it for everyone. I would definitely recommend it to any one who enjoys a great sci-fi / fantasy read.

[Lindsay]

Defenders of the Scroll went above and beyond my expectations.

I normally don't enjoy fantasy/adventure books (or movies) but this particular book was highly recommended to me so I sat down and gave it a shot.

I never, ever imagined I would enjoy it as much as I did. I found I was staying up until the wee hours of the morn just to see what was going to happen. Suspenseful the whole way through!

The characters in the book were unique yet lovable and I found myself relating to them on so many levels. The author puts humour in the book through the character's dialogue and personalities, and even had me laughing out loud.

I am an adult, yet loved the book as much as young adults and teenagers would (who the author targets).

If you liked Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, then this book is definitely for you!

[Lindsay]

A Fun Surprise!!

Defenders of the Scroll went above and beyond my expectations.

I normally don't enjoy fantasy/adventure books (or movies) but this particular book was highly recommended to me so I sat down and gave it a shot.

I never, ever imagined I would enjoy it as much as I did. I found I was staying up until the wee hours of the morn just to see what was going to happen. Suspenseful the whole way through!

The characters in the book were unique yet lovable and I found myself relating to them on so many levels. The author puts humour in the book through the character's dialogue and personalities, and even had me laughing out loud.

I am an adult, yet loved the book as much as young adults and teenagers would (who the author targets).

If you liked Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, then this book is definitely for you!

[April]

Oops, I left this one at my parents.